Fire and Ice
by KitsunexNoxShi
Summary: It's a puppyshipping story, read it to find out what its about
1. Fire Meets Ice

"Come on Yug!" The blonde whined to his best friend.

"You're not getting out of this one Joey!" Yugi was determined to have his best friend do this job for him, no matter how much he hated it.

"You can't be serious?!" Joey begged.

"I'm afraid so…" Yugi held out the suit, "put it on and get it over with."

"I'd rather die in hell!"

Joey had been out of sorts as of late, his friends looked into it and found he had been obsessed with a certain multi-millionaire named Seto Kaiba.

"You been talking about him in your sleep!" Tristan complained.

"If I am I'm kicking his ass!" Joey pouted and blushed in embarrassment.

"Not from what we heard." Tea added.

"I'm not going on a date with that asshole!"

"You will, we have the reservation for the restaurant!" Tristan grabbed the suit and forced Joey to place it on with Yugi's help as Tea left the room.

"Honestly… We have 10 minutes to get him out of here before we should be at the movies Yugi..." Yami just sighed as he watched his own boyfriend struggle to place Joey in the suit.

"Oh shit! Can you guys handle it from here?" Yugi asked in a panic.

"Yeah we have it all under control Yug, go have fun-"

"Get off me!" Joey wailed and struggled.

"Alright then." Yugi left taking Yami's hand and leaving for their own date.

"Kaiba's guards will probably have to escort him home early knowing him." Yami commented to his boyfriend.

"Oh don't be so pessimistic! Now I have to go knock on wood 'cause you jinxed it!"

Yami chuckled and gave the shorter male a kiss to the lips as they left the house.

On the way to the restaurant, Joey complained about the tie being too tight.

"Come here then!" Tea helped Joey loosen the 'Tie of Death' Joey was calling it in his thoughts.

"Can't believe you two are making me do this." Joey sighed.

"Stop complaining! You'll thank us later." Tristan added.

"By setting me up on a date with the worlds biggest douche?"

"There he is, be nice or try to!" Tea left him with that as she walked off with Tristan.

_"I will murder them."_ Joey thought to himself.

"Mutt." Joey growled at the nickname and glared at Kaiba with a burning hatred, yet he also felt a bit of relief he was there, for reasons unknown to him, seeing him in a white, fancy tux that he thought suit the taller male.

"Prick!" Joey still decided to keep his behavior the same despite how much he almost didn't want to fight him.

"Let's just get this over with I have a meeting in the morning and I should be in bed but Mokuba insisted that I join you on this miserable evening." Kaiba explained as they both walked in the restaurant.

"I'm forced too, pal. I sure as hell don't want to be here but my friends say it would do me some good."

"By convincing you that I'm your master?" The taller male teased with a sly smirk on his face.

"Fuck you Kaiba!" Joey barked.

Kaiba smirked and followed the waitress showing them to their seats. The two boys placed their orders and remained silent after the waitress took their menus.

"So how did Mokuba convince you to come on this tragic evening with me?" Joey asked trying to start up a conversation with the brunette.

"None of your business mutt." Joey scowled at the response.

"Hey, I'm just trying to be nice for once here!"

"Whatever pup." Joey growled in response.

They sat there arguing for a few minutes when they noticed people starting to stare and they held their tongues until the stares reverted back to their meal. By then their food had arrived and they remained silent as they ate, Joey wanted to try and work things out with Kaiba but everytime he tried it was deflected back, like he had a shield that refused to let anything enter.

Kaiba on the other hand, secretly appreciated Joey was at least trying after several years of fighting and arguing with the shorter male. He was growing weary of the constant attempt to seem cold to someone who was trying to befriend him after these long and painful years.

"So how is Mokuba?" Joey finally broke the silence.

"He is doing good… Still complaining I don't spend enough time with him like I normally would." He refused to look at the blonde.

"I don't blame him, but I also can't blame you either with the way the economy is at the moment and with the demands from the people you probably have your own hands full. Especially with the people being laid off and supply issues and the sort-"

Kaiba stared at the male in shock as he rambled on about how he actually, slightly, understood his situation.

_"Why haven't I seen this side of the pup before?" _Kaiba wondered as he listened to Joey, for once, interested in what he is saying.

"Something wrong Kaiba?" Joey asked feeling uncomfortable under the brunettes gaze.

"Huh? Oh yeah…. It's just that… well that was the smartest thing to ever be heard from your mouth." Kaiba mumbled as he returned to his food.

"Yeah… thanks…. I think?" Joey returned to his food also.

"Don't get used to the compliments just because you are suddenly smarter pup." Kaiba added.

"Whatever rich boy." Joey muttered under his breathe.

"So how come you don't show your smart side more often?" Kaiba asked wanting to know.

"The middle school I went to had a bunch of bullies and if you were smart then you get pummeled. I didnt want to be that kid." Joey answered then stared at his empty plate of food.

"I see. Everything alright puppy?" Kaiba looked at Joey's eyes.

What he saw was surprising in the blonde's chocolate brown eyes, depression, sadness, hopelessness… That was so different from the Joey he knew. The Joey he knew was like an ever burning fire, always blazing and ready for anything coming his way, what he saw; however, was quite the opposite. He saw this Joey as nothing more than the ash and leftover of the original, small, humble and can easily be extinguished.

"Yeah… I'm fine." Joey played with the fork in his hand.

"No you're not… I know you would rather go to Yugi with your problems but…. I want to hear the full story, from you." Kaiba said, which in return surprised the blonde male.

"I had e-enough abuse…. I didn't want to suffer through any more beating than I already went through." Joey began.

"_Already _went through? Who else abused you?" Kaiba asked and watched the younger boy's body language, he noticed Joey biting his lip and how he looked off to the side apprehensively.

"My dad…. he is a drunk man with gambling problems."

Then it struck Kaiba, perhaps they weren't as different as he originally thought.

"That's horrible…. I'm sorry I brought it up."

"No it's alright… It's not really a secret at least from those who know me well." Joey laid back in his chair.

Kaiba sat there thinking for a while, in the meantime Joey looked at Kaiba. He was surprised that Kaiba actually seemed to have some deep, underlying form of caring. He could see it in the normally emotionless blue eyes of the man he was on a "date" with. He normally saw the man as nothing but ice and he froze everything he came in contact with, like a blizzard, harsh and unrelenting. But this Kaiba, he saw was more like a gentle snowy day in Joey's eyes.

"Hey pup," Joey looked at Kaiba, "why don't you spend the night? That way Mokuba has company, but if I find one thing out of place or you make a mess then you will get a beating."

"Nothing can be worse than what my dad gives me, sure why not?" He looked at the dessert menu.


	2. The Promise

Joey sent a text to his friends saying he won't be coming back since Kaiba offered to allow him at his place for the night, he took it as an opportunity to have a night away from his abusive father and left the man a message saying he would not be at Yugi's for the night, in return received mumbles from his father but he heard his father say 'alright.' The fact he wasn't drunk and screaming into the phone was a relief for the blonde, especially since Kaiba was right there beside him in the limo.

"So pup, let's just go over some ground rules so when we get to my place there isn't instant chaos."

"Trust me I don't think I will be much of a problem, just leave me with Mokuba and I will be out of your hair to do whatever." Joey didn't even spare a glance at the brunnette.

He didn't know what was worse, seeing his puppy so mellow or how he always managed to get beneath his skin…. Wait…. _His _puppy?

_"Great I own a sappy puppy, just fucking great." _Kaiba thought to himself and began going over the ground rules.

Joey soon zoned out and just remained staring out the window until they finally arrived at the Kaiba Manor.

"At least try to cheer up around Mokuba, I don't need him hounding me because he thinks I did something to upset you again." Joey smiled at the thought of Mokuba nagging at his older brother.

"Sure thing money bags."

As Seto opened the door to his house he was soon charged by said young raven haired child.

"How did it go- Joey?" Mokuba looked from the blonde to the brunnette in confusion.

"The mutt is staying the night, only for tonight." Seto explained as he removed his coat.

"That's awesome!" Mokuba hugged his brother soon heading off to his bedroom with Joey.

Seto left for his bedroom to change into his night attire and rest for the meeting in the morning. Joey and Mokuba; however, were in the game room, playing the latest Halo on the XBox, and becoming bored of the game after a while, so they decided to talk.

"So what happened that let Seto be convinced for you to stay the night?" Mokuba asked the blonde.

"Well," He paused hesitantly, only the gang knew of his father, "I sort of told him about what life was like back at my place, my dad is actually pretty awful." Joey didn't want to show his latest bruise his father had given him.

"How so? You can talk about it, our step father was also pretty harsh on big brother." Mokuba added, trying to reassure the male in front of him.

"Probably not as bad as mine though, yours probably isn't drunk 24/7 and-" He cut himself off before he could say anymore.

"And what?" Mokuba asked, curious about the saddened look on his best friends face.

There was a long pause before Joey worked up the courage to speak again, the wounds still fresh, physically and mentally.

"My dad abuses me, he hits me everyday and I try to do anything I can to get away from the asshole. Even if it meant hanging with your brother."

Mokuba was shocked by the news that Joey had just laid out in front of him, the younger hugged Joey tightly seeing the depression in his eyes.

"Joey you have to get out of that place, if he abuses you then he might do worse!" Mokuba pleaded to the blonde in front of him.

"I can't Mokuba, I have no where to go, unless you would rather have me living on the streets." The raven haired child thought for a moment.

Little did they know a certain brunnette was listening, he was unable to sleep for he was too busy worrying over his puppy, trying to figure out a way to help the blonde escape the bastard that was related to him and was supposed to be his guardian.

"You can live with us! I can persuade him please just don't go back!" Mokuba begged, but Joey was too stubborn for his own good.

"I'm sorry Mokuba but I would be a burden and I don't need to be protected I can stand on my own. Besides he isn't bad when he is sober or tired." Joey didn't want to become reliant, he had to fend for his own and it was all he knew how to do other than how to duel.

"You won't be a burden Joey! Please-"

"I'll be fine Mokuba." He cut the younger off before he could say anymore, "I managed this long and I can last a little longer, I promise."

"Promise me one more thing." Mokuba looked at him with pleading eyes.

"What's that Mokie?"

"Promise me if it gets really bad you go to someone! If you need a place please come to us I will hound Seto until he agrees!" Joey smiled at the younger, he really felt better about someone actually caring about him.

"I promise Mokuba. Let's get to bed then and we can play at Yugi's place tomorrow."

Mokuba nodded his head and Seto left the hall for his room before said puppy and baby brother catch him listening on their conversation.


	3. Another Secret Exposed

School started and everything was back to normal, Joey was hanging with Yugi, Tristan and friends and Seto was sitting in his seat, reading a mystery book. But he wasn't paying much attention to the book since he was listening to a certain blonde.

_"Why do I care about the mutt? It's none of my business what he is getting into and isn't! Then again the situation with his father… Maybe I should care?" _He contemplated over the issue.

"Kaiba? Yo Kaiba!" The brunnette snapped out of his train of thought and turned his expression to his usual scowl seeing it was Joey who called him.

"What is it, mutt?" Joey ignored the comment, just this once.

"Uhm, well," He paused hesitantly, "I wanted to thank you for letting me stay at your place."

"Just don't get used to it puppy." Seto said the sentence with a certain soft tone that Joey picked up on, but ignored it knowing very well he would deny everything and it would result in another argument about if he cared about the blonde or not.

The thought of Seto actually caring made Joey smile and blush a little.

_"Why am I blushing? I guess it's just unusual that Seto would care for anyone other than Mokuba and if it was me…" _The bell ringing for lunch snapped him out of his thoughts and he grabbed his bag, calling for his friends to hurry or there won't be any food left.

During lunch Seto noticed Joey kept pulling down his sleeves, he found it rather odd knowing Joey isn't very self-conscious person.

_"What is the puppy hiding?" _Seto wondered.

After lunch Seto used the free period to pull the Blonde aside.

"What's going on Kaiba? Why did you pull me away from my pals?" Joey asked confused.

"I want to know what you're hiding Wheeler."

Joey tensed slightly, he didn't want Kaiba to know about what he was hiding. Not even Yugi or Tristan knew about it.

"I don't know what you're talking about Kaiba." Seto saw through him.

"Don't lie to me Wheeler, what are you hiding under your sleeves? I saw you constantly pulling them down at lunch!" Seto glared down at the blonde.

"Why the hell do you care?!" Joey countered.

Seto had enough of Joey trying to avoid the topic and grabbed his arm with a firm grip, making said blonde flinch and he tried to free his hand, but it was too late! Seto pulled up the sleeve of his blue jacket, revealing scars, some old and some fresh, some reopened even!

"Joey did you do this to yourself?!"

"N-no! Only half are my doing alright, you freaking happy moneybags?!" Joey retracted his arm and pulled the sleeve back down, looking away from the brunnette in front of him.

"No Joey, I'm not. You said half were yours, the other half is your father's doing isn't it?"

The blonde looked up at the taller male in shock, how did he know?

"I repeat, **_'why the hell do you care?' _**Oh wait, I get it, you probably think I'm weak cause I freaking cut myself and want to laugh about it later! I fucking get it!"

"No Joey I don't. I understand because my own father was an asshole, I want to help you, believe me. I heard you and Mokuba last night, I," He paused hesitantly, "frankly; I'm worried too, I don't know why but I am."

Joey looked at him surprised, Seto actually did care?

_"No this has to be a trick!"_ The blonde thought, _"But then again, what if he isn't pulling my leg?"_

"Well you shouldn't care, worry more about Mokuba. I'm not worth it, never was and never will be."

"That's not true Joey. Look at Yugi and Tristan they freaking love you!"

"To what use am I to them though? All I ever do is screw up."

There, Seto saw it again, that small ash that was once his puppy, that look of helplessness and rejection, that depression and sadness that flashed across his eyes. Seto pulled the shorter closer to him and embraced him in a hug.

_"Seto is… hugging me?" _The shocked blonde stood there, frozen.

"You are of use to them Joey, that I know."

Joey felt his face burn bright red, he hesitantly hugged back. Seto allowed it for this time, his puppy was hurting really bad on the inside.

"Thanks Seto. I appreciate it, I really do. Guess you're not as cold hearted as I thought."

"Just don't go spreading that around got it?"

"Sure thing." Joey smiled and actually felt wanted for the first time in his life.


	4. The Beaten Puppy on the Street

The day finally came to an end, Yugi and Yami left for the shop, Tristan left for home, Tea left for her job at Burger World, Seto watched his puppy leave for his appartment.

"Hopefully Dad isn't drunk again." Joey mumbled to himself as he quickened his pace at the thought of his father being drunk and beating him for not being home at a certain time.

Seto sat in his limo in front of Mokuba's school waiting for him to exit the school, the entire time he waited for Mokuba he was thinking about Joey, was he alright? Was he safe? Was his father drunk and beating him yet again? When Mokuba finally exited the building and hoped in the car Seto ordered his driver to go back to Joey's apartment.

"Sir, might I ask why?"

"No you may not, now do what I pay you to do!" Seto snapped and the driver did as he was ordered to do.

Seto walked up to the apartment he saw Joey enter and knocked, he heard stumbling and rustling until he saw what he presumed to be the blonde's bastard father.

"The fuck you want?" The man was clearly drunk as he slurred.

"I'm looking for Joey." Seto stated calmly.

"Brat's in his room." Seto walked in and he was instantly hit by a wall of alcohol, the scent was horrible in the brunettes nose, but he continued to what he guessed was Joey's room.

He knocked on the door with the sign saying it was Joey's room, no response, not even a shuffle or rustle.

"Joey it's me." Still no response, he opened the door to see most of his room was empty minus a few things, like he packed up and left!

_"Damn it! He ran away! His father did something, that's the last fucking straw!" _Seto thought to himself as he stormed out of the apartment in a hurry ignoring the angry parent calling after him.

"Drive around town, **_now!_**" He commanded as he watched the people from his seat trying to find Joey as he called the police to report the blonde's father for child abuse.

He looked for the puppy into the night and with a few worried calls from Mokuba, he gave up reluctantly.

"Head home." He said in a monotone voice, and sighed in frustration.

_"Please be ok puppy." _The brunnette repeated in his head.

He noticed something by the gate of his mansion, blonde hair, blue uniform, it was Joey!

"Stop the car! Take it in I'm walking the rest of the way in!" Seto ordered as he frantically jumped out of the car and rushed at the shorter male, "Joey!"

The blonde turned his head to the sound of his name being called and was surprised it was Seto.

"Hey Kaiba. S-sorry to bother you but-"

"No it's fine I was just at your apartment but you moved out I guess before I arrived. Come on in we can set up a room for you right away."

"T-thanks." Joey was at a loss for words, Seto saw what it was like at his old home, his bastard father, and more than anything else, he seemed to have been worried about the blonde!

"S-sorry if I worried you Kaiba." The blonde looked down sadly as he followed Seto to the mansion door.

"It's alright Joey, I'm just glad you're alright." The shorter male smiled, hearing his actual name being used by Seto Kaiba, he probably shouldn't be becoming used to it but, it felt good to hear him say it at the same time.

When they entered the large mansion a servant took his luggage and up the staircase to the room he would be staying in. Suddenly the blonde felt the taller take his chin and pulled it to face him gently, making him blush.

"You took quite the beating Joey. I called the police on your father, it's settled you are staying here with me! No arguments!" Seto had this gentle look in his eyes despite the commanding voice.

"A-are you sure Set- Kaiba?" Joey avoided the tallers gaze.

"You can go ahead and call me Seto puppy, and I'm sure. Don't worry about this Joey I'm just looking after what's mine." He patted the shorter on the shoulder gently and took him to his room so his bruises could be treated and he could rest for the night.


	5. Welcome To Your New Home

When Joey woke from his slumber the next day he was surprised to be in a soft bed.

_"Damn this bed feels so soft, I don't want to get up." _He thought to himself as he nuzzled into the pillow.

It was warm, fluffy, a lot better than his own shitty bed back home, but if he wasn't home then where was he?

_"Maybe I should get up and look around?" _As the blonde sat up he looked around the room, it was large, and very fancy, large windows, a creamy white color with matching drapes and sheets on the bed and an oak hardwood floor.

He swung his feet over the edge of the bed and walked to the door, but stopped in his tracks noticing his current state in the mirror, his hair was messy, covered in bandages, and he was still in his pj's.

"Guess I should clean myself up first." The blonde mumbled to himself as he looked around the room for his backpack.

Having been unsuccessful with the search he decided to look under his bed and found a black bag.

"Bingo! Come to daddy." The blonde spoke to no one in particular and pulled his bag from under the bed.

On the bag was a note, he picked it off the bag and read it.

_Dear puppy,_

_Welcome to your new home, I hope you enjoy the peace away_

_from your father who is now in jail for child abuse._

_-Seto Kaiba_

"Seto did all this for me?" The events of the previous night came back to him.

After he escaped through his bedroom window, he was going to Yugi's place so he could stay there until he could find his own place. Until Seto pulled up beside him and offered him a ride to his place and offered him to stay at his mansion.

"Guess he isn't as bad as I thought." Joey said to himself as he grabbed some fresh clothes and changed right by the bed.

Meanwhile Seto was in his study working, or at least trying for he was too busy thinking about the blonde in the room next to his bedroom.

_"Damn it I can't concentrate. Maybe I should go check on the puppy? Maybe it will put me at ease knowing he is still in bed or up and moving about." _The brunette stood up from his seat and walked into the long hallway.

Upon reaching the bedroom he placed his ear to the closed door, hearing shuffling he assumed the blonde was awake and opened the door, only to catch said male in dressing himself, his shirt still on the bed as he finished buttoning those tight pants of his, he was surprisingly muscular for a skinny male, then again he did have to toughen up. Seto was having a hard time keeping from showing his blush despite how warm his face felt.

"Oh, hey Seto," The brunette snapped out of his daydreams by said male, "uhm, thanks for letting me stay. Once I find a place of my own I will get out of your hair-"

"No-" Joey looked at the other in surprise, "i-it's alright you can stay here as long as you need to. Mokuba needs the company anyway so," there was an awkward pause, "I'm going to get back to work so make yourself comfortable, call Denis, my butler, if you need anything."

With that said, Seto left the room closing the door behind him. Joey looked at the neatly written note once more, a small smile came to his face.

"Guess he really does care." The blonde muttered as he finished changing.


	6. Growing Comfortable

Weeks passed and the blonde was growing used to his new home, he still got lost in the large estate at times but none the less he was learning. Currently he was sitting at the dining room table, looking through the newspaper, to Seto's surprise.  
"Didn't kn0w you read the newspaper pup." The brunette stated as he also took a seat.  
"I don't. I'm looking for a job so I'm not wasting your money rich boy." Joey turned the page of the ad section.  
"Joey you really don't need to do that you know. You are apart of this house you don't need to work for money." This was the same conversation they had last week.  
"I know Seto but I want to be able to pay for things with my own money." Joe finally looked up at the taller.  
"I don't see the point in it-"  
"Please Seto, I just want to be able to buy things on my own without you buying it for me." The blonde pleaded.  
Seto let out a sigh, thinking over the situation. On one hand he could make his puppy happy by allowing this, but at the same time he would be seeing less of the moronic blonde that was surprisingly brightening his day whenever he came home.  
_"What to do about this?" _Seto thought to himself, then an idea struck him.  
"You talk to the boss and I will kill you."  
_"Damn." _Was he that readable? And to Joey Wheeler of all people?  
"Fine if you are adamant about having a job then go ahead but I forbid anything past 4 pm." Seto brought the coffee to his lips.  
"Why? You actually enjoying my company now?" The blonde teased as he returned to the paper.  
"That and your cooking is better than the chef's." The taller rose from the chair to go and check on Mokuba, leaving the blonde to absorb what was just said.  
Joey rolled his eyes with a faint pink tint to his cheeks, perhaps he will cook tonight seeing as Seto liked his cooking.


	7. Sorry Guys

Sorry guys I know you really love this story but for now it is being discontinued. I am sorry to disappoint you guys but lately I have had a writers block with my Yugioh stories and I have moved onto other fandoms as well. I might return to finish this story at a later date but for now this story is discontinued.


End file.
